How can you come prepared?Do your homework about Andy's career (http://ow.ly/KENy6) ( and follow him at @AndrewHetzel on Twitter). As you'll see, he's a distinguished health care communication professional who's lead a pretty amazing career. It's pretty remarkable that he's taking time to come to our meeting!

Next, POST your questions for Andy on the Facebook event wall before the meeting (link is below). As in today. As in five minutes ago. Make them genuine questions for HIM that you've given thought to. Doing your homework should merit some pretty Andy-specific questions. We'll have him answer as many of your questions as he can in our short time with him.

But wait, there's more! The best question wins a fabulous prize! Still not impressed? Andy himself is giving away two tickets to a Detroit Tigers game to the person of his choice at the meeting. That could be you! Must be present to win.

Graduating seniors (as if you need another reason to be convinced to come to this meeting): Attendance gets you not one but THREE chapter points towards your graduation cords. With graduation almost a month away, you absolutely cannot afford to miss this meeting. See you all this Wednesday at 9 PM. In the meantime, post away!https://www.facebook.com/events/411576275682795/412805195559903/

Daltyn Little, a student at Grand Valley State University, won PR Student of the Year Thursday night at the PRWeek Awards.She received strong commendations from judges, with one saying, "At each stage of the process, I had to keep reminding myself this was a student, not a seasoned PR pro."To win the award, she mastered a theoretical campaign on fuel-cell technology for Toyota – not the easiest for even a veteran PR professional.Jessica Schram, a student at the University of Maryland, was Honorable Mention.

Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.Dwight Eisenhower WMPRSA recently hosted a luncheon where the discussion centered on crisis communication and crisis management. We were honored to have Kelly Rossman-Mc Kinney (Truscott Rossman), Craig Clark (Clark Communications) and Beth Dornan (Amway) share their knowledge of preparing for a crisis, handling the crisis, and preventing a crisis. The program was a Q and A session with Craig, Kelly and Beth sharing their knowledge and past experiences. The main objective in crisis management is to try to mitigate the actions which could lead to a crisis while continually scanning the media outlets to find the warning signs of a crisis. A crisis cannot be averted if one does not know what a crisis is. Craig Clark described a crisis as anything unexpected, even if it is planned for, which can have an impact on a brand or company. Additionally, a crisis is anything that can have an adverse effect on an individual or corporation. Beth included that how you respond to the crisis is the most important component of crisis management.Where do you begin when creating your crisis plan? Two critical components of crisis communication include an understanding of who your audience is and the full spectrum of events which could occur. Even with thorough planning, inevitably whatever crisis occurs is something that was never planned for, additionally, crises never happen the way you think they will. The level of crisis depends on how much of an impact the crisis has on the delivery of goods and services to your customer. Those that have an immediate and direct impact on this delivery are the most critical and have the most resonance with current and future customers. They key to handling a crisis is not what is happening at the time, but how you respond to it as an organization. Where to you begin when you begin to build a crisis plan? Again, knowing your audience and how you can reach them when something happens, and knowing the spectrum of events which could occur is the start. There needs separate crisis communications team and a crisis management team. The leader of the crisis communications team is at the table with the crisis management team, but is not responsible for managing the crisis. The communications team is responsible for the communications during a crisis. The communications team needs to work lock-step with legal. Additionally HR and other groups could be involved with the crisis management depending on the nature of the crisis. Having a crisis management team in place is crucial to the crisis management plan. The crisis management team can vary depending on the crisis, but the leadership must be clear, as well as each of the members’ responsibilities.How do you manage the expectations of the executives? Often the executives expect that everything we do on a day to day basis will end up on the front page, which is not realistic. Be sure to under-promise and over-deliver when explaining to your executives what they should expect from the outcome of any campaign, including your crisis management plan. In a crisis situation, a plan needs to be in place which explains what outcomes should be expected. Be upfront with what you believe the impact is going to be and be honest – cut to the chase. Kelly suggested that if you are a member of the organization experiencing the crisis, sometimes it is helpful if someone from the outside, such as a consultant, be the one to deliver a message regarding what outcomes to expect. This could have a longer lasting effect and hit harder when the message comes from an outside source rather than coming from someone they work with on a daily basis. This can be help protect your relationship with the executives and a second, or an outside opinion, may be more palatable to the executives.When handling a crisis, how do you choose a spokesperson? Craig explained that there should be a primary spokesperson in place beforehand as well as backups in case your first choice is not available. The spokesperson chosen must be relative to the severity of the crisis. Meaning, the more severe a crisis is, the higher up the executive ladder the spokesperson should be. It is your job to know what is happening and to determine who that spokesperson should be. You must have someone who presents well, not necessarily the one who knows the most. For example, your scientist within the organization may have a greater understanding of the situation, however may not communicate well. Choose someone else who can communicate well, but also has a strong understanding of the situation. The more you can plan for a situation, the more you can identify who your spokesperson should be. Kelly added that in some situations there are other players at the table such as hazmat or members of a community emergency management team. You need to be able to manage the entire cast and find out who is best to deliver your message. Often your best choice is someone from public safety who is able to reassure the public that all is well and safe. Beth pointed out that in some situations the choice may not be yours. Sometimes, such as the case with an aviation crisis, once the National Transportation Safety Board becomes involved, you can no longer say anything. Know your restrictions and boundaries before a crisis occurs.When do you determine how much information to release? Beth began by telling us to be as clear, concise, quick, and compassionate as possible when first relaying information regarding the crisis. The initial statements do not need to be eloquent, but it does need to be quick. Explain what happened, what you are doing, and what to expect. Kelly expanded upon that by adding that legal does need to sign off on anything you say, however your attorney needs to recognize and appreciate the importance of getting messages out quickly. Not saying something about a crisis does not make it go away, it in fact puts up a red flag up saying that not only is it our crisis, but we do not know what to do about it. Develop a good relationship with your attorney because you cannot afford to have basic arguments in these situations. Craig recommended having a holding statement as part of your crisis plan ready such as ‘We are aware of the situation, and are aware that you are aware. We are trying to confirm details and please interact with me.’ The details can be filled in per the crisis, but this allows you to have a statement out immediately. This lets the media know you are going to be as transparent as possible, but you deal in facts and you are not going to speculate. You can ask that the media reciprocates this and deals only with you and keep the lines of communication open.How do you get ahead of the social wave? This is where your relationships with the media are important as there are times they are more knowledgeable than you are. If the relationship is there, you can ask questions such as where they are getting their information from, and is this information from someone on Twitter or from a different source, and do you have details that you can share with me, and where they are going with the story? Additionally, in the rare circumstance, you may be able to persuade the media to hold off on a story if there is mutual trust and they can count on you to offer the story when you are able to release information. The consensus is that social media moves so quickly that there is no way to get ahead of it. One way to at least be able to ride the social media wave is to create a dark website to have ready to go in times of crisis. People are going to go to your website for information so you want to make sure there is nothing that is inappropriate for the time and events. The media follows us as for information as well. Make sure your posts on both corporate and individual accounts are accurate, and that other people are reposting for you. When the media learn that you are accessible, responsive, and accurate, they will start relying on you for the information they would like to obtain. Third party advocates can be your friend as well during a crisis. There are going to be organizations with which you have good relationships. They can post and share ‘good things’ about your organization thereby advocating on your behalf. What was your biggest crisis and how did you handle it? Craig told a story regaling that anything that could go wrong will go wrong. The take away from his story was that once the crisis ends, dissect the situation to determine what went wrong and how to avoid that in the future. Kelly’s story also was one of an unanticipated situation. The takeaway from her story was if your first choice of a spokesperson is not available; coach the one who will be speaking. Conversely, Beth had prior knowledge of an impending crisis, and when the media would not work with her to tell the story; they decided to tell the story themselves. The story took months to develop and in that time Beth and her group were able to put together responses for any situation they thought may come up. What do you do when the executives will not accept your recommendations, and how do you deal with the repercussions? If you are working as a consultant, you could walk away, but that is not recommended. Your job is to keep relaying the message of ‘this is why I am so concerned,’ and keep trying to make your point. You may come across someone else in the room who agrees with you that you can partner with to make your point. If it is the CEO who disagrees with you, you do have to go with their decision. Your job then becomes one which helps the company manage the repercussions. You will need a team to manage the current crisis and one to work on the future ramifications. You cannot do it all. Consultants will need to be able to work closely with the communications team to be able to understand the crisis and to anticipate what happens tomorrow. You need to have a team who understands the situation and the organization. In Kelly’s experience they typically have 1-2 working on the crisis, one person monitoring the situation, and someone to anticipate what will happen after the crisis. Teresa Bennink

This week we had the opportunity to learn about resumes and interviews from Amway Intern Recruiter Molly Murray and Clark Communications, Jenny Griffin. Molly and Jenny had some great information to share with us, some of which I knew, and some of which was insightful. I know that recruiters only look at a resume for a brief time before deciding if they will pursue you further, but 8 seconds! This is a document that many, including myself have spent hours perfecting, and it is given 8 seconds. That means you need to be able to present your best self, on paper, in that timeframe. My favorite advice from Jenny is to stalk LinkedIn. I have done a bit of that, and plan to continue to do so. In addition to LinkedIn, follow the company and key employees on Twitter and other social media platforms. I think it is much easier to talk to someone once you know them, and if you get to ‘know’ the company and key players in the social world, it becomes easier to talk to and relate to them in the real world. Key points from Molly:·Target your resume to the company you are applying to·Show results in number format – increased sales 20% from Q2 to Q3·If you’re short on work experience, add projects and the role you played ·Include formal and informal leadership·ONE page·Make sure it is error free and formatted ·No need to include references·Make sure contact information is visible·No templates·Not resume related, but do your homework and watch your digital footprint. Jenny reiterated the same points as Molly regarding resumes and went more into the interview process. Key points from Jenny:·Ask questions BEFORE the interview·Speak to everyone in the room, even the person sitting in the back. You may never know who has influence.·This is a time to make personal connections·LinkedIn stalking! This helps you get to know the company , the employees and the culture·Everyone can Google the company; dig in and really get to know them·Show your passions·Be gutsy and ask if they have any hesitations about your qualifications, but be ready to counter those objections·Network in their world·Have questions ready at the interview as wellTB

If you’ve been to the GVSU Career Fair in past years then you know it can be intimidating, overwhelming, confusing, and competitive. However, it can also be a great jumping off point for learning what kind of job you may like to do and what companies are out there. In Workshop Six, Troy Farley, Director of the Career Services Offices, joined us for Career Gear and gave us advice on what to expect, how to navigate, and what will help you stand out at the Career Fair this year.

Know Before You Go:

Everybody that’s working behind those tables are most likely doing that for a living- they know you’re nervous, and most of them will start the conversation to get the ball rolling.

Be yourself. Recruiters will watch how you act, and if they see you shaking a lot of hands, smiling, and generally having fun they’ll notice that and you’ll be more memorable.

They want to make a good impression with you just as much as you want to make a good impression with them. They’re representing their company and they want to come back with smart hires.

A majority of the representatives will be wearing ribbons that symbolize which university they attended. If you see someone wearing a blue GVSU Alumni Ribbon use it as a conversation starter and go from there!

Pick four companies you’d like to work for and then do your research. Dig deeper than their website. Maybe bring up recent news articles about the company, mentioning things outside of their website will definitely impress them.

During The Fair:

Go to a table for a company that you have no interest in working for to get your nervous energy out of the way. You’ll be able to practice your introduction for the real companies you want to work for, while also potentially learning something about a company you’ve never considered.

Recruiters will notice if you’re “Trick or Treating”. Yes the freebies can be cool, but if you hop from table to table collecting the free stuff and not even shaking hands or asking about the company people will take notice.

Never walk up to the tables and give the recruiters or representatives your resume. If you hand a representative who is not a recruiter your resume they will stop looking at you and start looking at the piece of paper you just handed them. You’re losing eye contact and losing the opportunity for them to remember you.Give them your resume if they ask for it. If you like how the conversation is going and they don’t ask for it, then you can give it to them.

After any particularly awesome conversation, find a table and write down some notes about who they are and what you talked about. Write a little thank you note saying how much you enjoyed talking with them about this or that, then wait until before you leave and hand it to them. You now have provided them with a follow up to your conversation and another reason to take a second look at your resume.

But, you are most likely going to end up working for a company you’ve never even heard of- and you’re going to love it! So don’t sweat it if you didn’t make a killer first impression, you might have another chance further on down the line.

Take any business cards you nabbed and connect on LinkedIn- if you took notes and didn’t get a chance to hand-write them a thank you note, LinkedIn is the perfect back up plan.

There are a lot of career options out there, and it’s okay if you don’t know which one is right for you! Get in contact with some companies that you enjoyed talking with and set up an informational interview or job shadow. You can also use your connections with Grand Valley to help you get your foot in the door!

If you need some career inspiration check out this video stylizing a quotation from Ira Glass, the host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.

Moving on to Plate Strategy, Bob Burton and Derek DeVries from Lambert, Edwards & Associates joined HireEd for Workshop Six!Derek has a degree in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations, is a social media specialist and currently serves on the board of the West Michigan PRSA. Bob started his career out in journalism and then moved into investor relations where he started his own firm, and now plans to eventually retire in West Michigan!

Derek DeVries Current: Digital Strategist at LE&AFormer: Marketing Associate at 834 Design & MarketingLinkedIn Link:www.linkedin.com/in/derekdevries/enKey Piece of Advice: “It’s easy to just do whatever comes your way during an internship but the exceptional people are the ones looking for things to do, seeking out responsibility, and maximizing the time they have with the company. Those are the folks that will have more options available to them.”

This week, the blogging committee kept it relevant (as they always do). But this week in particular was extra relevant. So relevant, in fact that they discussed - you guessed it - blogging. If you're reading this, you probably at least have an inkling of interest in blogging, so get ready for a crash course.

They answered all the questions you were wondering about blogging. How do I start? What platform should I use? What if I hate to write? And so on. And if you don't blog for yourself or on behalf of our chapter yet, you'll probably want to start after reading these entries.

Enjoy!

Blogging 101: Tips to a Successful Blog. By Kayla Foster

So you want to start a blog, but don’t know where to start? It can seem daunting and like there are a million things you need to figure out before you can actually start writing. While there are a few things you should do to get settled in the blogging community, it’s much more simple than you think. All blogs were new at some point!Platform I would say this is the first step since it would be hard to blog without having some sort of website. There a bunch of sites you can use to create a blog – WordPress, Squarespace, and Blogger just to name a few. It mostly depends on your preference once you check them out. I would recommend WordPress – easy to use and interact with other bloggers.Design Now that you’ve picked a platform you can work on the layout of your blog. This is the fun part where you get to be creative. Most platforms have templates that you can work off of, so no worries – you don’t have to know any coding. You can choose and change fonts, colors, and backgrounds in just a few clicks. It’s important your page reflects you and your personality, but also what your blog is about.About Me Page A killer ‘about me’ page is a great addition to any blog. Most blogs have the about me page link in the navigation at the top of the page. Due in large part to its location, people can’t resist clicking the link to see the person behind the blog. It doesn’t have to be super long or overly creative, but it is important that people know who you are. Find Your Niche You can literally blog about anything, but it is important to stick to a certain area of topics when it comes to your blog. You have to find you niche, whether that is fashion, web design, DIY or how-to’s. Having a niche can narrow down your subject matter to appeal to your target audience. This can help you eliminate completion and make you the go-to blog when a reader needs information on your topic.Link to Social Media Once you set up your blog and write that first post it is important that people actually see what you’re writing. Sending out a tweet or a Facebook post linked to your blog can help give you exposure. It is also important that your blog contains a RSS (real simple syndication) feed. This allows people to subscribe to your blog so they don’t have to manually check your site for new updates, they get sent directly to them.Make a schedule Sometimes it can be easier to have a schedule of when you’re going to post and what you’re going to write about to keep yourself consistent. Set a schedule and stick to it, but still remember to have fun. Most blogging platforms allow you to write posts and then schedule them to be posted in the future – another great tool if you’re ahead of schedule. Happy blogging! Shameless plug: check out my blog at http://www.kaylamfoster.com/blog/.

Blogging 101: But How? By Alexa Shouneyia

I identify myself as a writer. It’s what I love to do. I like to write creatively, lyrically, in the form of a journal, and about topics that interest me. The beautiful thing about blogging is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. There’s no professor telling you what you have to write about. There are no guidelines or length requirements or anything of the sort. It’s simply you sitting down and writing about something that interests you or something you want people to become more aware of through your writing. There are a ton of platforms you can choose for blogging, but my 2 favorites are Tumblr (when I want to focus on visuals) and Wordpress (for more content-driven blogs). It’s super easy to set up an account, and both websites are completely free. Everyone has their own unique system for writing or how they’re able to best form their thoughts. For me, it’s music. When I know I’m in the mood to bust out a blog, the first thing I do is locate my favorite Mumford & Sons or Lana Del Rey playlist and let it take me away. Some people enjoy going out and sitting in public places while they write. During the summer, you’ll find me writing outside almost every day. During the winter, I step into the tundra on a “need to” basis, so most of my writing is done from the comfort of my fuzzy pink socks and favorite sweatshirt. Wherever you feel the most comfortable is where your best content will be created. I typically don’t research other bloggers before I begin unless I’m blogging for a client at my internship that wants a certain format followed. When I’m blogging or writing for myself, I like to be as creative as possible and don’t necessarily want my blog to resemble someone else’s. Dare to be different, my friends. Blogging/writing in general is so therapeutic. There’s no right or wrong way to do it and there are absolutely endless topics out there for you to write about or express your feelings on. You develop your own blogger personality and people really become interested in what you have to say. So, get to it! The ability to express is a beautiful thing that should be expressed fully and often.

Blogging 101: Where to Start? By Katelyn Dewall

For some people it’s easy to put their thoughts out there for the world to see, for me it was something I was always afraid of. What if people laugh at what I have to say? Or what if they thought I was completely boring? Well, in public relations it’s all about getting material out there for the world to see. So this year I thought I would try it. So how exactly do you start a blog? While some people think the execution is the most important (it still is), to me; I think it’s all about the planning. Which brings me to my first point… 1.Plan, plan, and plan. Do this by looking at other successful blogs. What makes them readable? What makes them likable? Think of a theme you want for your blog. Is it going to be about all different topics or are you going to have one central idea? 2.Plan, plan, and plan. Before I even set up an account, I thought about my first couple of posts. Then from there, I took some pictures. Successful blogs are visually pleasing (as you will find out from your research). You don’t need a nice camera; your iphone takes great shots too. 3.Make a schedule. For me, I like to be organized. So for the first couple of weeks after starting my blog, I will have all my posts planned. This is especially important if you are a student and working against other assignments for class. You may find that successful blogs are consistent, they don’t release a post once every couple of months. 4.Now find out the platform that works best for you. Popular ones are WordPress, Tumblr and Weebly. The best part, they are for FREE. 5.Last, continue to plan and continue to research. Keep up with current trends. Follow other bloggers. Most importantly, have fun!

Blogging for Beginners (Like Me). By Alicia Saragosa

Blogging is a great way to start personal branding beyond popular social media. It’s also a great platform for people, like future employers to get to know you on your own terms. Okay, I want to blog but I don’t know where to begin… Follow these steps! 1.Pick a blog space; I use Word press because it’s free and relatively easy to use. 2.Pick a theme- the central idea of your reason for writing; I think this is the most difficult part. Try not to get too hung up on it, if you don’t know what it is, draft up a few post and you’ll find some kind of pattern. 3.Pick a template that best conveys your personality and theme. 4.Add an interesting About Me page. Readers what to know why your writing is worth reading. Answer these questions: What do you study? Why do you write? Why should they care? This is where your theme and interests should come together. 5.Add pictures and colors that inspire you. 6.Make a calendar for yourself-how often will you blog? Be consistent, you have to make it a commitment. Do not share your blog on social media until you have at least five pieces of content; I’ve been told this is the rule of thumb. As you add each piece of content, have friends, family and peers read over your writing-free editing and saves you some embarrassment. I am actually currently in the process of creating a blog myself- try not to be intimidated by other more experienced bloggers. Do some research; see what you like and what you don’t like. Blogging is a process and it will grow as you advance as a writer and a professional. Happy blogging!

You hear it all the time, but it’s not emphasized enough. Connections are everything. If it weren’t for the wonderful people who were placed in my life, I would not be where I am today. My name is Amy Johnson and I am a senior at Grand Valley State University. If you were to ask me how I have gotten to where I am, I would tell you it is because I am a strong believer in networking and leading a productive lifestyle to get you exactly where you should be. It is this mindset that has brought me many opportunities, including the opportunity to work as an intern at WOODTV (eightWest). Working as an intern at eightWest at WOODTV has been a blast. My daily schedule consists of escorting home-town celebrities to the station’s studio where they speak about their professions and passions. Some days, I attend off-site shoots which require me to drive with a team consisting of a producer, camera photographers, and sometimes a talent (hosts from eightWest and/or Maranda Where You Live). My favorite part about this experience has been the people I met who inspire me to continue to living out my dreams as they have. Recently, I was asked to be a model at the Grand Rapids Auto Show Gala. “I’ve never modeled before, but I’m up to the challenge!” I agreed to the Executive Producer who was inquiring. After learning that this “modeling” job meant wearing an evening gown and lipstick whilst sitting in brand new, top-of-the-line vehicles on live television, how could I say no? The event turned out to be everything I imagined and beyond. I wore Jordan Carson’s (host on eightWest) Jovani ball gown and was paired with a camera crew and talent who was Tommy, a talk show host on radio, Star 105.7. Flashback to the beginning of the school year and I was frantically trying to find an internship for graduation credit. Months later, due to a friend’s recommendation, I am working with one of the most fun employers who then happened to have connections with WOODTV. From there, I accepted another internship with WOODTV because, again, how could I say no and turn down an opportunity to make more valuable connections! If there is anything I think is crucial to making your dreams a reality, it is making connections and setting goals for yourself. From there you must dedicate yourself to achieve these goals. Share this with your friends and family. Engage others in conversation about your opinions and passions. Set your heart on what you want to grow you. Then, the opportunities (like an internship at WOODTV) are simply a bonus.

Last week was Alumni Night at GV PRSSA. The distinguished alumni - Jessica Hines, Morgan Yingst, and Austin Langlois - all gave a tremendous amount of wisdom to our chapter. Along with explaining steps they took in the post-grad world to land that first job, they explained things they were glad they did in their undergrad, along with things they didn't do. So whether you're graduating in April or still a sophomore with plenty of college ahead of them still, it got us thinking.

Are there things you know now that you wish you would have known before? What key pieces of advice would you tell to yourself as a freshman now after living through what you have? Whether it be advice on being a PR major or just general advice, you probably would love to tell your younger self a few pieces of guidance. Even some motivational Lana Del Ray lyrics (not kidding). This week, we had blog committee members reflect on their college careers thus far and 'sit down' for a chat with their freshman selves.

And we're so glad we did.

To My Past-Self; By Thomas Pattee

When I look back to my freshman self, there are a few things that I remember if I had a crystal ball back then, would have loved to have known by 2015. How is the year 2011 going? Awful? Thought so. Freshman year will your flight or dive situation. If I could give you any advice it would first be to really try to figure out what you want your major to be. Remember when you wanted to do Art History? That turned out to be a bigger backfire than Van Gogh trying to propose with his ear. I understand it seems to be a bit of pressure to have to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life when you have just been granted the right to vote, but it will save you time and money to really start to research this. So you now figured out that you want to do Public Relations. My second line of advice would be to take the time to start really learning the ins-and-outs of PR. I understand that after you got your tonsils out in the summer of 2012 Netflix binge watching “Kell on Earth” made you feel more “informed” on the field, but you still have a lot to learn. Talk to professors, your peers, or even take your inquiries online. Just get to know it sooner than later before you get thrown into communication plans, social media campaigns, audits, etc. My last piece of advice would be to enjoy your time in university. I know that sounds silly, but with enough late night study sessions, anxiety over exams, and constant thinking about your weekly workload, don't forget to enjoy the good things about your experience there. The people you meet and the things you experience, will be a once in a life time experience. Take it all in and never for a second think you could be doing a better job than what you are already doing. Random things I would have love to have known my freshman year: 1.Cargo shorts are your frenemy. You will learn to let them go, but it will take time. 2.You WILL grow into your chin. 3.Don’t feel intimidated by anyone. Remember, the people who make you feel intimidated probably liked Twilight in high school and that is really sad. 4.If you can’t say it to your grandmother, don’t say it on a social media. 5.Don’t trust anyone that was pretty during puberty. 6.Black denim jeans will consume you (and that’s ok). 7.Be yourself, always.

You Got This

Oh hey Alexa, you eager little college student, you. You’re about to have so much information thrown at you, you’re not going to know what to do with it. Take your time. You’re 18 years old and you don’t need to have everything figured out right now, I promise. I know you think you want to go into nursing, but it isn’t for you. It’s alright for you to try though-you’ll never have any question or wonder if you just didn’t try hard enough. You’re definitely a hard-working kid-always have been. But it’s time to focus on school and pull back on the work schedule. Making money is nice and you’ve always enjoyed being independent and doing things for yourself, but the time has come to prioritize, and grades need to come first. You don’t know this yet, but you’re going to apply for a pretty competitive Music Business program once you graduate. You have to do everything you can stay on top of your game and prove that you have what it takes to get into one of these programs. I also want to remind you how important it is to get involved with a student organization and volunteer your time. The more you’re able to network, the easier it’s gonna be when you start looking for a job and applying for grad school. All in all, Lex, you know what you’re good at and you need to use it as often as you can. A lot will happen. You will get your heart broken, you will change, you will grow, and the person you will turn into is alright I guess J. Just keep going, stay involved in university organizations, and keep your eye on the prize. You’re going to do just fine, I promise.

A Conversation With My Freshman Self; By Erin Herner

As a second semester sophomore, it’s crazy to think just how much I have grown since freshman year. The Erin a year and a half ago had no clue what she wanted to major in, let alone do with her life. Although there is still so much I have yet to experience and learn, if I had the opportunity, I would love to sit down and have a conversation with my freshman self. I can just imagine the questions I might have asked: What do I major in? Am I capable of taking on an art minor? What clubs/organization will be beneficial for me to join? What will my strategies of success in college be?--- Freshman me who still didn’t know her major yet. :) To these questions I would respond: 1.You will find your major. Don’t listen to those pressuring you to, “just choose one.” Although you may be starting to feel intimated by those around you who claim to know what they want to do with their life… don’t be. The truth is that they may think they know, but in a year a lot can change. College is a time of growth. So keep doing what you are doing. This process of discovering what you want to do with your life, although stressful, will be all worth it in the end and you will grow tremendously. So, keep talking to people and asking what they are doing and how you can get involved. Keep requesting to meet up with advisors in fields that you are interested in. Continue to ask questions and advocate for yourself. Believe in your abilities, and that YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH! 2.To this question of whether you are capable or not…. You always are. Don’t doubt your abilities. AS far as the art minor goes.. yes you are capeable.. and yes it definitely will be a lot of work but it is rewarding and worth it. 3.Clubs and organizations to join…. you should of joined both the sorority and PRSSA earlier. PRSSA is great for networking, gaining mentors from people in your majors, touring agencies, and more. Being in a sorority offers not only great networking, but leadership and philanthropy opportunities as well. 4.Your Strategies of success: Continue sitting near the front in class, visit office hours and actually get to know your professors (*you will be surprised to find out what incredible things they have done in their life and what wisdom and opportunities they can share with you), stay curious/ask questions, and lastly, make friends in your classes. To be able to work well with others is a life skill. Also two minds are better than one. Nice talking to you freshman me! - Erin Herner

Dear Alaina, Show Up; By Alaina Korreck

A letter to my younger self about the importance of getting up, dressing up, and showing up. Hello younger self, I know right now, you’re 17, and living in Chicago all by yourself. I also know that you’re going to go out too much, spend too much, and ultimately take too many naps (but you still do the last one in the future). But what I want to tell you is to keep going. Things get rough in college, as they typically do for everyone, but the best advice I have for you is to persevere, and get to it. As a side effect of your napping problem, I know you sometimes have issues showing up. For anything. Class, events, coffee with friends, whatever it is, I need you to honor your commitments. I seriously can’t stress this enough. Small encounters will end up changing your future, so whatever the opportunity, get yourself to it. A boss you’ll have later on, will tell you every day that 80% of success is showing up. CC: Woody Allen. And he’s so right. Sometimes the biggest way you can get ahead is by being places that others aren’t, and that requires you to get up, dress up, and show up. Make people familiar with your face. Be the one who is at everything, doing everything, and is the most dependable. THAT will be the single most important habit you develop. Regarding dressing up, do it. Pinterest until your fingers bleed, but find some staple pieces you can wear to the office that don’t make you look like you’re borrowing your moms casual pant suit. If you feel over dressed, own it. It’s not going to reflect poorly on you if the intern is the best dressed person in the office. Just because I know you’re a personal fan of a well placed cliché: dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

Another thing I want you to remember is to know your worth. You’ll bounce around a lot in the next two years. You’ll accept a lot of jobs, and some internships, but you need to always remember what cards you’re bringing to the table. Please remember that all experiences are not worthy of your time. Don’t jump at the first offer just because it came first; hold out for something you’ll benefit from. Know when to walk away from dead end jobs and internships that you’ve maxed out. But always do it with class. I know it doesn’t seem like working at that tanning salon will help you too much in the future, but you never know. This advice will matter a lot when you start to consider transferring schools. You need to remember what your worth, and what type of college experience you deserve. I’ll leave you with this, when the time comes for you to make that big life change, only listen to yourself. It will never matter what your friends or your family think about you transferring schools. Make the choice that you want to make. It’s your life, they don’t have to deal with the consequences. Xoxo, AK

To My Freshman Self; By Kayla Foster

Here I am in the last semester of my college career. It’s hard to believe I’m about to graduate in April and have to go out into the “real world.” Looking back at my college experience, it’s definitely had its ups and downs, but overall I’ve learned a lot and now I want to share my senior wisdom with you.If you aren’t happy – change majors Seriously, it’s fine. If you don’t enjoy your classes, find something you do enjoy. I started college as a nursing major (talk about a 180 now being in the field of communications). When I started at my community college in fall 2011, I had the mindset that I should be a nurse, but come to find out, I hate science, hospitals and sickness…so probably not the best fit. I changed to dental hygiene, physical therapy, an undeclared English major, and I think I was even a sociology major at one point. But being so lost and trying all these things lead to me where I am now, and I’m really happy with where I ended up.It’s okay to stay home and go to community college I know a lot of your friends are probably going off to school and that can make it seem like you have to, too. I was going to go to a four-year university after high school, but at the last minute I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to study and I wasn’t ready to go to a big university yet. I can tell you from experience that I don’t regret staying home and figuring out what I wanted to do for a much cheaper price.Don’t worry if your degree takes more than four years Honestly, I think it’s a rarity that one finishes school in just four years with all the requirements we have, even if you don’t ever change your major (which I also think is rare). Things happen, and if it takes you five years instead of four, don’t stress. Kudos to you for sticking it out. Pursue your passions Too many people, like myself when I started college, have the attitude that money ranks over what you are actually passionate about. While money is important in life, your career is what you will be doing every day – you want to be happy doing it, don’t you? If I had this mentality when I started college, I would have started as an English major. So many people talked me out of it, always asking “what would you do with that after graduation?” or saying, “but you’d never find a good paying job in the profession.” Now I stand by the saying, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Ask for help I kind of figured out the whole college thing on my own. I will be the first person in my family to get a bachelor’s degree of any kind when I graduate in April. So being totally new to the whole college thing and not having a clue of what I should be studying was scary. In hindsight, I should have reached out to people who had gone through the same struggles I did, and I would recommend that to you, too. Reach out and get a mentor, explore all your options, and never discard something as a possibility. Good luck! Kayla

5 Tips for My Freshman Self; By Tyler Lehner

5 Tips For My Freshman Self:First of all, hello. I hope your experience in Seidman Living Center is treating you well and Kleiner Commons (pre-Qdoba) is asscrumptiousas I recall it was. I want to quicklyreview a few things that will be crucial and beneficial inthe coming years of your higher education:1. Freedom comes with learned responsibilityEntering college as a freshman is one of the most, if not the most,thrilling part of your educational career.Living on your own for the first time, you can eat whatever/whenever you want, skip class without repercussions and participate in (responsible) collegiate activities. This is exciting. This is new. This is important. This freedom granted upon you can quickly lead you into a slippery slope of bad grades, bad habits and bad people. Step back, prioritize and realize that what you do now will affect your next few years at GVSU.2.Embrace your individualityThroughout grade school,you were told by teachers to beyourself and don't letkids tell you how to act or treat people. We all know that this was not feasible. Kids were mean. Kids said things. You had to fit into the mold of the typical student or else...consider yourself an outcast. College is different. Within the Laker student body, there are people like you, whoever you are or whoever you want to be. Don't let people whom you meet duringyour first semester at GV dictate who you are/want to be. "Be young. Be dope. Be proud" -Lana Del Rey3.GO TO CLASSEnough said. I'm not kidding.4.Don't feel stuck in your majorAlthough declaring a major at freshmen orientation is encouraged, do not, by any means, feel that you must stick with that major. If you don't like business, switch. If you don't like pre-med, change. The earlier the better,both for your class-load and money. *Spoiler alert: you will discover your love for public relations and advertising at the end of your sophomore year.5.Don't let Gen-Ed grades get you downIt is difficult to perform in classes that are required and do not interest you in any way. Add a poor professor into the mix and you're destined to fall. Grades are just a small part of the mix for your future.Future employers are not going to look down on you for getting a B- in Geology.

Note to Self: Be Selfish?; By Teresa Bennink

You chose Grand Valley because they have a great physical therapy program, and you went to the Chemistry exam your freshman year and made patterns on the final exam paper. Well now it is time to choose a new major. That’s ok! I like history, so let’s try that out. Wow, Tudor and Stuart England could have been such a good class, but no – it sucked. How about Anthropology? It is very similar to history right? No that pretty much sucked too. So go through the catalog and see if anything sounds interesting, I decided. Public Relations looks interesting, and I found that I loved COM 101. Not knowing what you want to be when you grow up isn’t such a bad thing. Taking diverse courses allows you to really know what you do and do not like. But once you do decide, it is time for some real advice. Be selfish.Seriously. Once you have decided that PR is what you would like to pursue, know that it is not just going to class and handing in assignments. It is also joining PRSSA, finding internships, attending seminars, blogging. Anything you can do to get your name and your work ‘out there’. Your friend wants to go see American Sniper Wednesday night, but it is PR Wednesday. What to do? Be selfish and go to the PR meeting. The meetings are fun too, and will help you in the future. Besides, isn’t it better to be able to talk about those blue eyes with your friends while stuffing your face with popcorn and wine when it hits Netflix? Your boyfriend wants to go out Friday night, but there is a great speaker the COM department has scheduled. Go see the speaker, and your boyfriend will be waiting for you when you get home. If not, find someone who will be there next time. Once you graduate and find that perfect job, it becomes time for payback for that selfishness during your college years. Join PRSA or other organizations. Make yourself available to current students who can learn from your great experiences while you were in your selfish phase. Be the best PR person you can be and never stop learning.

Blast From the Past; by Jailyn Glass

This letter is dedicated to the 18 year old Jailyn, who was more than excited to start her college career. In light of keeping this post closely related to PR, I will talk about how my freshman year would have been different by going with my first mind. Dear younger self, You are a senior now in college - where did the time go? August 2011 was the transition year from high school to college; you have done exceptionally well so far. With graduation approaching in December, there are some aspects that you still need to grasp as an undergraduate student. It’s okay to feel scared, nervous, and excited; you still have time to pull it together. There are three key points that you could’ve done to make your transition a little more smoother: having more confidence, being a risk taker, and leave other people’s opinions as other people’s opinions. Naturally, you've always been a shy person. Changing this will not happen overnight, but you will gradually improve. It's human nature to feel doubt. You doubted yourself from declaring Advertising and Public Relations as a major freshman year because you weren't “creative.” You felt a sense of relief when you changed your major from Statistics to AD/PR. This was a field you were interested in doing, and not just doing calculations all day. Doubting your creative abilities was a silly idea. Creativity comes in more than one form. Go with your first instinct. If it sucks the first time, then try again and make it better than before. Next, you need to take more risks. Do things that scare and make you nervous. Stepping out of your comfort zone will help you accomplish things a little better. After declaring APR major right before junior year, you thought you were so far behind; you joined organizations, like PRSSA, to keep up. You pushed yourself out of your comfort zone to make sure you had the necessary abilities/knowledge to prepare for your upcoming career. Having gone through this, you are more comfortable with doing things that scared me. With the additional help of GrandPR, being a summer Orientation Student Assistant and Student Ambassador, your fear of public speaking is surely fading away. Now that you have this knowledge, follow your first mind and heart for now on.

This past Friday, Grand Valley’s GrandPR and PRSSA members had the opportunity to tour Truscott Rossman’s Grand Rapids office and meet the people who keep things running smoothly, Senior Account Executive Amy LeFebre and Vice President Tim Dye. After hearing about each professional’s background, we were able to ask questions and get advice from these two PR pros. Here’s what they passed along:Intern You’ve probably heard it before, but they confirmed it: internships are essential. The pair stressed the importance of getting experience before graduation, especially during the last semester of your college career. You never know, that final internship might lead to a permanent position after graduation.Volunteer While volunteering is a great thing to do in general, it can also lead to a job you’re after. If you have a specific place you want to work in mind and there are no open positions, volunteer there so you get to know people within the organization. That way when you do apply, they’ll already know you.Writing We all know writing is a huge part of PR, so it’s no surprise they stressed the importance of it. Kate, Truscott Rossman’s intern, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in communications and said her English degree has really helped when it comes to public relations and her writing skills.Networking No surprise that this was brought up. Networking is important when going into any field, but especially PR. Specifically, we talked about networking with media so you positive relationships when you need to get a story out. It’s not about what you know – it’s about who you know.

By this time in 2016, the event planning industry is expected to have grown to over 60,000 jobs. That is a lot of people, planning a lot of events. If you’re an Event Coordinator for a non-profit, your organization relies on events to raise funds and keep the organization functioning. How do you attract people to your event and get them to support your cause? Maybe you’re an event planner for a corporation that hosts an annual event. How do you get people to keep coming back to your event each year? These are just some of the questions that were explored at the West Michigan’s Public Relations Society of America (WMPRSA) “What’s so special about your event?” luncheon.The panelists for this event were Nicole Cook; Marketing & Events Coordinator at the Humane Society of West Michigan (HSWM), Alicia Caldecott; Principal at A Day In May Event Planning and Design, Kim Rangel; Event Sales & Services Manager at Experience Grand Rapids, and Keri Kujala; Manager of Special Events & Donor Relations at Saint Mary’s Foundation- Mercy Health Saint Mary’s.Tip OneFocus on logistics, not aesthetics. Alisha Caldecott says to make logistics your primary concern. No one will be talking about how great the place settings look when his or her stomach is growling because you can’t get the food out on time. Make sure you completely understand the flow of your event and event space.Tip TwoThink outside of the box. Nicole Cook has to make the Humane Society of West Michigan’s 5k walk stand out from the dozens of 5ks hosted by other animal shelters. How? They host their event a night and make it a glow walk. A catchy name like “Bark in the Dark” is always helpful too.Tip ThreeCreate Relationships. Kari Kujala stresses the importance of creating relationships with vendors. This is especially important if you have a tight budget. If a company offers to sponsor your event, make sure you are returning the favor when possible.Tip FourLocation, location, location. Make sure your event is in a location that is appealing to your target audience. Nicole Cook said that when the HSWM is looking at locations, convenience for attendees is always a factor—even if it is more expensive. Spending more money on a location will always boomerang back at the organization with more attendees and hopefully, more money raised in the long run.Tip FiveAlways give your client (or boss in some cases) realistic expectations. This is a tip that all four of the ladies touched on. You don’t want anyone to be disappointed with the end result. Kim Rangel says to find out the one thing your client is expecting or what their top priority is and make it happen. Compromise on other things if necessary, but make that one thing happen. And of course, always be honest and respectful.Take it from the pros and utilize these tips to make your event stand out!By: Olivia Mashak, VP of Financial Services for GV PRSSA and VPO of GrandPR.